Page 64 of Claimed By the Bratva Brothers

“I’m sorry you had to find out this way,” Max mutters, warmth in his gaze.

All I can do is shrug. “It’s okay. I mean, I always suspected that he had a dark side of sorts. You know my general opinion of politicians. It stems from him, from the way he conducts himself. This, on the other hand, is something else entirely. Worse. Darker than anything I imagined. I don’t know how he will ever recover when the truth comes out.”

“See, that’s where the trick is,” Artur smirks. “If the truth comes out. This is why they’re so hellbent on keeping our organization tethered to theirs. Once they lose the Bratva, the other mob families might want to follow suit. Next thing you know, nobody is afraid of the local Feds anymore, leaving their precious illicit network weak and unprotected. Vulnerable to complaints and IA investigations. Right now, they’re untouchable, and your father seems to have played quite the role in creating this environment.”

“How do we undo this?” I ask.

Max shakes his head. “We can’t undo anything. You shouldn’t be anywhere near us for what’s going to happen next.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’ve gathered some intel of our own. This right here,” he says, pointing at the tablet, “this is exceptionally useful to narrow down some leads. We’ll know what to look for when the time comes.”

“What intel?” I ask, growing increasingly anxious and confused.

Ivan exhales sharply. “We found one of your father’s former staffers. It wasn’t easy or cheap, but we managed to get a lead on where we might be able to scoop out actual proof of your father’s crimes. It’s clear that he has committed his share of misdeeds, and that he will continue unabashed well into the state senate. He must be stopped.”

“I agree,” I say with a heavy, painful sigh.

“We know this isn’t easy for you,” Max says. “He’s still your dad, he’s still family. There’s love there, no matter how strained the relationship is. It lands an even harder blow because he’s pretty much all the family you’ve got left.”

My eyes sting a little. Tears keep testing me, but I manage to hold them back, determined not to let any of this get to me again. There’s been enough crying. I can’t save my father, not without hurting the men I love, and that is what pains me the most. Making such a decision and having the power to implement it in the first place.

“I will do what needs to be done, which is why you have that,” I point at the tablet. “I uploaded every piece of relevant evidence on there. Make sure it stays safe. The District Attorney will need it. My guess is you’ll have to convene a secret grand jury to indict my father, and I think that what you have so far will sway a reputable judge in your favor.”

“We just need to find one, a good judge, that is,” Artur says. “It’s not just the law enforcement that’s crooked. The Justice Department has worms of its own.”

A thought crosses my mind. “I think I can help with that as well.”

“How so?” Ivan asks, his brow furrowing slightly as his gaze drops onto my lips. It thickens the tension between us, making it harder for me to breathe. Without even realizing, I lick my lips to quell the growing sensation of thirst that’s turning my mouth into a dry cotton pit. It is enough to cause Ivan’s gaze to darken and his nostrils to flare. “The algorithm, you mean?” he asks, clearly eager to cool his heels.

“Yes. I can have it scan the justice system, the circuits as a whole,” I reply. “I can have it analyze court rulings, political affiliations where known or declared, that kind of stuff. I can even have the algorithm produce reports based on each ruling to tell you which judges might be better suited to see this through to the end.”

“It’s not just the judge,” Max says. “The District Attorney needs to be brought on board first and foremost. He’s the one who convenes the grand jury.”

I nod. “Can you trust him?”

“We’re not sure. But we haven’t found any dirt on the guy either. He might be squeaky clean and genuinely righteous.”

“Or he could be really good at hiding his true face,” Artur points out. “We will need to do more research of our own on the matter. Thank you for doing this, Lyric. I know it’s not how you wanted things to turn out.”

I smile softly and get up. Big mistake.

The world starts spinning all of a sudden, the view before me dissolving into a puddle of milky colors as my consciousness slips away from me. I feel Max’s strong arms close around me as he helps me remain upright. I didn’t even register the moment he jumped from the sofa to reach me in time.

“Are you alright?” he asks, his voice low and gentle.

“I’m sorry. Yeah, I’m tired and overwhelmed.”

“And worn out,” Artur sighs as he, too, comes over and stands behind me. “You look a little stressed, Lyric.”

My vision begins to clear as the blood flow intensifies. His touch is all it takes to get my engines roaring as he proceeds to squeeze my shoulders, a tentative massage designed to loosen me up.

It’s loosening me a bit too much.

I’m soaking wet, my cheeks burning pink with reckless desire.

“God, Lyric, I can read you like an open book,” Artur chuckles and plants a kiss on the side of my neck. All I can do is suck in a deep breath as I struggle to find my words.

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